Monday, December 14, 2009

Why I do and don't do things

I often get asked what it's like to have RA. This story pretty much sums it up. It is actually someone talking about Lupus, but get rid of the nausea and it's someone with RA. Anyway, if you have nothing else to do...read on.


7 comments:

Me said...

Jill,

You probably don't remember me. We went to HS together--I linked to your blog from Peggy's--and found the story you posted. IT is truly awesome!!! My mother is a cancer survivor (and has many other health problems), I have a sister with what we sometimes call "almost Lupus" (her numbers are high, but not "high" enough), I have asthma and lung damage, and my nephew has an interstitial lung disease....as well as we have an array of other illnesses that we have to deal with on a regular basis. All of us, at one time or another, have had to try to explain what is explained in that story. It's quite hard and frustrating. Why is it that one day, I can function just fine, and the next day I can barely breathe and get anything done? Anyway--I just wanted to thank you for posting it! It's a very good way to try to help those who have the blessing of health to understand the realities of "spoons".

Thanks! Mary P.

Lena Baron said...

WOW! What an inspired way to try to explain something that for some people is so hard to understand simply because it is not their Refiners Fire. Thank you for sharing this Jill! I learned a great lesson after the loss of my girls. If we stood in a circle of women and were all asked to throw our burdens into the middle of the circle, and then told to take one back for ourselves, we would take our own burden back. I believe this is because through the Atonement of Chist we are better able to bare our "perfectly made" burden. And in the end, we are made perfect.

As I was writing this I had a memory come back to me... For some reason, I think I need to share it with you. Do you remember Brother Virgin's lesson on Grace? I remember that it touched you deeply. It touced us all. To grasp the concept that through our hardest moments in life, after all that we can do Christ will make up the difference... That is what it's all about. Keep doing all that you can do Jill... Love ya!

Kimberly said...

If I start crying the next time you see me you have only yourself to blame for posting this!!

I love the days that you share a spoon with me. thanks for being so strong....stronger than any of us it seems. Love you sister

tara said...

eye opening jill. truly.

thanks for posting this. the spoon analogy is genius.

Peggy said...

I honestly forget sometimes that you have to deal with RA everyday because you are always so positive. Thanks for sharing this story.

Hailey said...

Thanks for sharing your story with us. It's nice to feel like we're not alone in our trials though they're all different.
Good luck and stay positive! (and I'll try to follow my own advice :))

Janae said...

I had no idea, Jill. You are amazing!